Kidnapped girl found thanks to suspect mistake

A 9-year-old girl has been found alive and well, just days after disappearing under disturbing circumstances, thanks to a fingerprint left by a suspect on a ransom note.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tells CNN’s @andersoncooper on @AC360 about how police were able to find 9-year-old Charlotte Sena, who had gone missing in a New York state park. Watch: pic.twitter.com/3gdJelRhED

— CNN (@CNN) October 3, 2023

The young girl had disappeared under very disturbing circumstances while camping with her parents in New York State.

Little Charlotte Sena had gone for a bike ride on Saturday evening. Her bike was later found without her, prompting fears of the worst and a massive search operation by the authorities.

The extensive search for Charlotte Sena continues. The search, which is being led by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers includes 400 certified search and rescue personnel. Thank you to those working to bring Charlotte home! pic.twitter.com/xSi4aiT2CC

— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) October 2, 2023

But the young girl was found safe and sound, hidden in the kitchen cupboards of a suspect, after the latter was traced thanks to the fingerprints he left on a ransom note he had allegedly placed in the mailbox of the girl’s parents.

This extraordinary turn of events was a real stroke of luck for the victim, since the fingerprints of the suspect, identified as Craig Nelson Ross Jr. were on file with the police when he was arrested for drunk driving in 1999!

Charlotte Sena’s Alleged Kidnapper Caught, Child Found in Kitchen Cabinet https://t.co/YmeWnN5z2b

— TMZ (@TMZ) October 3, 2023

Since the report of little Charlotte’s disappearance, authorities had quickly suspected abduction and activated an Amber Alert, and they had used maximum resources to find her, including tracing cellular waves in the area, but also with an officer stationed near the residence of the girl’s parents.

***AMBER ALERT – UPDATE***
THE AMBER ALERT has been cancelled. Charlotte has been found safe and in good health. pic.twitter.com/p8HyFB7zbP

— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) October 2, 2023

It was this officer who spotted a strange individual near the family home on Monday morning. The suspect left something in the mailbox and then quickly left in his vehicle. It was a ransom note, and the man was followed, while the letter was quickly analyzed.

It’s a happy ending worthy of a movie… and certainly a happy one for this family who have lived through several days of horror.